The Farm Leadership Council, a Prairie farmers’ organization supporting professional development for producers, plans a major reorganization and a move into cyberspace as its funding from its main sponsor comes to a close.
The FLC, created in late 2005 as the Western Farm Leadership Co-operative by the grain handler then known as Saskatchewan Wheat Pool, will see its five-year funding arrangement with Viterra end this year.
Viterra, formed in 2007 by the merger of SaskPool with Agricore United, has now pledged transitional funding for the FLC for the next two years, the council said in a release Thursday.
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The FLC, over the next few months, plans a “transformation of the organization’s business and operating model and the introduction of high-quality producer education through web-based tools and technologies.”
A formal launch for this new model is planned for later this fall at FLC’s conference in Regina.
“Instead of holding in-person events or meetings, the FLC will now use technology to connect producers regarding specific areas of interest, such as commodity market analysis,” FLC executive director Linda Pipke said in the release.
“Meetings will be held online using teleconference calls and video conference to deliver the programming.”
Said programming is to include webinars, forums and updates from industry experts at the regional, national and international level, the FLC said.
“New opportunities”
The FLC, while remaining an “autonomous organization with its own democratic structure,” kept a “strong working relationship” with Viterra.
But Viterra, which last year took over Australian grain handler ABB Grain, now plans to “transition its resources to a new global model for producer relations and producer education,” the FLC said Thursday.
The transition funding from Viterra is expected to allow the FLC to “explore new partnership and sponsorship opportunities within the industry.”
Viterra won’t disclose the level of transition funding pledged, nor the level of its annual contributions in years past, a company spokesperson said Thursday.
Thursday’s announcements follow a meeting by FLC delegates early last week in Saskatoon to discuss the council’s future direction.
The council had been created as the former SaskPool underwent major financial restructuring and recapitalization that shut the books on the Pool’s history of direct leadership by an elected board of farmers.
During 2004-05, Pool management and delegates crafted the council as a way for the company to maintain a “non-commercial link” with producers in the Prairie provinces.
Farmers’ direct membership in SaskPool was transferred to the new council, guided by a group of 80 delegates spread over 16 membership districts.
